


Are You Mine?

by cavlarycaptain



Series: satisfaction seems like a distant memory [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, M/M, Nancy's also here but literally for like two seconds, Steve and Billy just want to love each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 09:39:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19060048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cavlarycaptain/pseuds/cavlarycaptain
Summary: One night, however, Billy and Steve were in bed once again; but instead of falling asleep and having Steve leave in the morning, acting like nothing ever happened, Billy whispered, “I think I’m ready to love you too.”





	Are You Mine?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! 
> 
> So I wrote this I think about four years ago for a different ship but thought it would be perfect for Harringrove, so I tweaked a few things and this is the finished product. Enjoy! 
> 
> Title taken from [R U Mine?](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngzC_8zqInk) by Arctic Monkeys

Steve Harrington had met Billy freshman year of college at a frat party his friend Tommy had taken him too, regardless of his wishes. Parties were never really his thing; Steve wasn't really into the whole loud music, drunken stupor, random hook up atmosphere.

All of that changed when he met Billy Hargrove. 

Billy had walked over to Steve, an air of confidence and a determined look in his eyes. He knew what he wanted and he wanted Steve. Steve didn’t know if it was the beer or if it was the way Billy looked at him, but Steve knew he wanted him too. Billy came up to Steve, the distinct smell of whiskey on his breath and asked him what Steve had been waiting to hear all night. Billy asked if Steve wanted to go upstairs.

Steve said yes.

They fell asleep in Billy’s bed afterwards and Steve woke up to see that Billy was still sleeping. He wasn't sure if he should wake him up or even get his attention, so Steve just decided to leave a note with his name and number in case Billy ever wanted to see him again. Steve didn't think he would, but what was the harm.

Billy and Steve ended up seeing each other more and more; different night, same situation. Steve would go to a party Billy would be at, they would both get wasted out of their minds, go up to Billy’s room, have sex, and Steve would leave the next morning while Billy slept; it was like he was never there. Steve was fine with this process.

Until he wasn't.

Steve ended up running into Billy at the coffee shop close to campus one day and what Steve thought would be an exchange of awkward glances turned into a two hour long conversation. They sat on the bench across the street and Steve felt like he was being introduced to Billy Hargrove all over again. This Billy was an English major. He loved Hemingway, Whitman, Kerouac and Capote. He was a fan of poetry and prose, loving both Kafka’s _Metamorphosis_ and Ginsberg’s _Howl_. His literary hero was Fitzgerald and he wanted to write his own _Great Gatsby_ , wanted to write his own story about a love that was lost, never meant to be truly be found again, at least not the way it first was.

This was the Billy that he met up with while the sun was still out, the Billy that made his heart warm and his knees weak. The Billy that would smile at him and have Steve thinking about it for days. This Billy was the one Steve fell in love with.

This Billy was never the one Steve hooked up with at midnight. That Billy was the one with whiskey on his breath and heartache on his mind.

One night, both filled with that dreaded liquid courage once again, Steve told him how he felt and Billy, Billy desperately wanted to tell him he felt the same. “Steve I can’t.” Billy told him as he pulled his boxers back on, searching his pants pocket for a cigarette. “I can’t love you,” Billy takes a long drag on his cigarette and lets out a long exhale, “ Not the way you want me to.” Billy told Steve his father didn’t know he was gay, and Billy wanted to keep it that way. Steve said he understood.

One night, however, Billy and Steve were in bed once again; but instead of falling asleep and having Steve leave in the morning, acting like nothing ever happened, Billy whispered, “I think I’m ready to love you too.” Billy started crying, telling Steve that he didn't want to be drunk anymore, that he didn't want to fake being asleep when Steve left every morning, that he just didn’t care about his father finding out anymore. He just wanted to feel love before it was inevitably lost, because that’s how all the best love stories end, according to Billy.

They left for winter break not soon after, but Billy and Steve stayed in contact for a majority of the time. Billy told Steve about how his dad invited a girl named Roxanne to dinner one night. Billy’s dad had pulled him aside and said that Roxanne also went to State and maybe there wouldn’t be any harm if Billy asked Roxanne out on a date. Billy told Steve he hated the idea. He just wanted to be with Steve.

A week before the spring semester was due to start, Billy stopped calling Steve. It seemed out of nowhere, but Steve thought nothing of it.

Steve saw Billy when they got back to school. He was with a girl who was holding his hand tightly, like she was afraid to let him go, as if there was something she might lose him too. Steve also noticed the bruise on his cheek and the way he refused to make eye contact with Steve, almost like the way he did when they first started their secret rendezvous.

"Got mugged walking home for the grocery store a couple of days ago." Steve overheard Billy say when he walked by him on his way to class one day. Steve snuck a glance and saw that Billy was putting on his signature bravado, Billy didn’t want people to know what really happened. Steve couldn’t help noticing that Billy’s copy of _The Great Gatsby_ looked more worn than usual. June came around and Steve and Billy had only acknowledged each other in passing.

Until one night, they saw each other at a party and they got drunk once again. Steve should have known better, but he couldn’t help himself. They slept together again and Steve loved every bit of it. Steve knew he shouldn’t have done it. The heartache to follow was no doubt going to rear its ugly head when morning came, but he missed Billy. He wanted to pretend things were how they used to be, though he knew they never were going to be that way again.

That following morning, Billy’s phone went off and Steve pretended to be asleep. “Hey babe,” Steve heard him answer. It stung a little bit, knowing Billy used to reserve that pet name for him. “Yeah Roxy, I’ll be right there. Had a bit too much to drink and fell asleep before I could head over.” "Love you too." He said as hung up the phone and began to put his clothes back on.

Steve heard the door close and decided that he should follow Billy’s lead. He pulled on his clothes, called Nancy and asked her if she wanted to grab some breakfast.

“Steve, you can’t keep doing this to yourself,” Nancy said, eyes filled with sorrow as she reached across the table and grabbed his hand. “You can’t keep hurting yourself like this.”

“I know, Nance, it’s just,” Steve pulled his hand back and let out a sigh, “Even if it was just for a night, it felt nice to think that Billy was mine.”

**Author's Note:**

> A book I was obsessed with in high school was The Perks of Being A Wallflower and I was always interested and heartbroken over Patrick and Brad's relationship. It was a toxic one but it broke my heart nonetheless. Maybe it's because I've always loved the lost love trope. Billy and Steve's story line is very very loosely inspired by Patrick and Brad's. 
> 
> Please let me know what you think, it's been months since I've ever actually written anything and feedback would be well appreciated.


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